Travel

It used to be that “convention season” ran from about March through October – this year, I’m doing my first show next week, and I have stuff booked all the way through November.

Since the wild ride is about to begin once again, I thought it might simplify things a bit to have all my convention appearances for the year in one place, so I could refer people to them when they ask, and we can all make plans to see each other as many times as possible. With that in mind, here’s the list as it stands right now:

January 27-29 – Festival International de la Bande Dessinée d’Angoulême – Angoulême, France (my series Letter 44, drawn by the wonderful Alberto Jimenez Alburquerque and published in the US by Oni Press, was also published in French for the first time in 2015 by Glenat. Letter 44 is part of the official selection slate this year, along with some other lovely books, so I’ll be there!)

February 12-14 – Amazing Phoenix Comic Con

March 5-6 – Armageddon Con Manukau (Auckland, New Zealand)

March 12-13 – Armageddon Con Christchurch (Also New Zealand!)

March 25-27 – WonderCon (Los Angeles)

April 28-May 1 – Calgary Expo

June 17-19 – Amazing Las Vegas Comic Con

September 2-4 – Baltimore Comicon

September 10-11 – Rose City Comicon (Portland)

September 23-25 – Wizard World Austin

You’ll note that I mentioned that I’m booked into November, but the list above only goes through September. There are several things for the fall that haven’t been announced yet, and I’d like to give those shows the chance to put it out there first – but they’re all cool.

My plan for this year was to hit places I hadn’t been to before, as well as do some shows with friends – always nice. I’ll update this page as more things are announced, but I feel like this is probably about it for 2016 – I learned last year (and the year before that… and the year before that…) that as much as I love doing shows, there’s a lot to be said for being home, too.

Advertisements

Share this:

Like this:

Despite my best efforts – well, not my best efforts – those tend to go into the scripts – I haven’t updated here since April. Still, it was the end of April, so it could be worse. And yet, it could be better, because this is just going to be one of those “here’s all the places I’ll be at this convention this weekend” posts, which will only be interesting to those of you who are going.

BUT IT IS A POST. IT IS CONTENT. I AM MANAGING MY BRAND.

Sort of.

Anyway, here we are, San Diego Comicon 2014. I expect this to be a pretty insane show all around – SDCC is always like being dropped into a giant blender filled with sharks that are also gummi sharks, so you want to eat them as much as they want to eat you. (Note – if that metaphor doesn’t completely work for you, it might be because you’ve never been to SDCC.)

It’ll be busy, especially with some high profile things like Death of Wolverine just around the corner, the release of the Letter 44 Volume 1 trade, and other exciting tidbits. Here’s where you can find me over the course of the weekend:

Thursday, July 24

5:00-6:30 PM – Signing at the Oni Press booth. I’ll be signing Letter 44 Vol. 1, as well as the con exclusive variant cover of Issue 8 (which is gorgeous, see below):

As mentioned, the collection of the first arc will also be available, a week before it’s out on store shelves, as well as a con-exclusive Letter 44 “Mission Patch” that I believe comes free with purchase to everyone who gets a trade.

So, get all of those.

Friday, July 24

11:15 – 12:15 – DC Champions of Justice panel, room 6DCE – just what it sounds like. Come see me dish on Red Lanterns, Swamp Thing, the September Future’s End event, and who knows what else! Lots of great DC folks on this panel – should be fun.

12:30 – 2 – Another signing at the Oni booth (see above).

3:00-4:00 – Signing at the Marvel booth.

Saturday, July 25

10:00 – 11:00 – the famous Writers Unite panel, hosted as always by the incredible Jim Zub, room 25ABC. This time, it’ll be Jim, me and Fred Van Lente (writer extraordinaire) sharing our tips and tricks about breaking into the business, writing in general, and other extremely useful bits and bobs. This is, I believe, something like the tenth time I’ve done this panel – and I do it because (a) it’s fun and (b) I think it’s some pretty good outreach. Breaking in is hard, and we need talented folks in the business. Come check it out!

11:15 – 12:30 – DC Superman panel, room 6DCE. Again, just what it sounds like. Superman! We’ll talk Doomed, Future’s End and beyond… I love Big Blue and so do you. You know you do.

2 – 3:30 PM – Signing at the Oni booth.

3:30 – 4:30 PM – the Nerdist Writers Panel over at Petco Park on the 6th Floor. I’ll be on the panel with some serious luminaries: Ben Edlund, Jill Thompson, Chris Roberson and Heath Corson. I’ll certainly be the least interesting person there – I’m probably looking forward to it more than you are.

Sunday, July 26

12:30 – 1:30 – Marvel Next Big Thing, room 6DCE. This will be all about the next big thing to come from Marvel. I do believe something fun will be announced here with respect to a certain soon-to-be-deceased Canadian X-man, so swing by.

2 – 3 – Signing at the DC Booth.

3 – 4 – DC Secret Origins panel, room 6DCE.

That’s the scheduled stuff. In between I’ll be all over the place, hopefully taking a few minutes here or there to relax a little – but honestly, this ain’t that kind of show. If you see me, come up and say hi!

Share this:

Like this:

My first issues of Red Lanterns (#21) and Thunderbolts (#12) hit the shelves, along with another installment of Swamp Thing (#22). My first opportunity to write Batman, a three-part Legends of the Dark Knight story called “Riddler in the Dark” went live over on Comixology, and I couldn’t help but notice tons of commentary on the Superman / Wonder Woman title I’m writing now (first issue hits in October), both negative and positive.

I’ve been tempted to jump into the fray a bit beyond my last blog post, but I decided that the best course of action would simply be to let the book speak for itself in October. Anything else is just an expenditure of time and energy that I’d rather put other places. Both of those are very limited for me right now, and they’re both a zero sum game.

So, on to more interesting topics (at least to me) – my schedule for San Diego Comicon 2013! For many reasons, I expect this to be the most action-packed SDCC I’ve ever had, and I’m really looking forward to it. I’m sure it’ll be exhausting, but hey, it’s the big show. If you aren’t bone-weary when it’s over, you probably didn’t do it right.

The biggest note is that my fall ongoing series from Oni Press, Letter 44, will have a black and white preview version of Issue 1 available at the show. I’m not sure how available it will be, but hey, the hunt is part of the fun, right? It’s your chance to check out what I honestly think is the best thing I’ve ever done many months in advance (the series doesn’t actually begin until October.) Beyond that, my latest OGN Strange Attractors will be at the Archaia / Boom booth, so make sure you check that out, if you haven’t already. I’ll happily sign anything you put in front of me. Anything.

Here’s my schedule so far – I expect it to change as we get closer to the show, but I’ll update the post accordingly if that happens:

Thursday, July 18

(My birthday! I’ve heard tales of birthdays celebrated at San Diego, and if I’m incoherent and/or not present for the rest of the con, you’ll know that those tales are true.)

4-5 PM – signing at the Archaia booth

6-7 PM – signing at the DC booth

Friday, July 19

10-11 AM – signing at the DC booth.

11-12 AM – Writers Unite Panel, which is a comics writing tips and tricks panel I’ve done a bunch of times in the past at different cons around the country. It’s always a blast, and we focus on not just tips for getting your stories done and making them good, but also ideas about how to break into the industry. The panel always includes some of the best new(ish) writers in comics (myself excepted – I just happen to be pals with the moderator), and this year follows in that tradition and then some. The panel will be run by Jim Zub (Skullkickers, Pathfinder), and the other writers besides me are Rob Venditti (Green Lantern, Surrogates) and Matt Kindt (Mind MGMT, tons of DC stuff). If you’re a writer, or want to be one, this is WORTH YOUR TIME.

Also in this window, just towards the end, I’ll be popping into the Oni Press panel, which will include a serious first look at Letter 44. I’m told you might have a chance to score a special variant edition of the first issue, which won’t be out until October!

4-5 PM – Signing at the Oni Press booth – if you don’t make it to the panel, come to the Oni booth to get your advance copy of Letter 44 #1, a San Diego Comicon exclusive!

5:30 – 6:30 PM – DC New 52 Panel (Room 6DE) – we’ll talk about all the exciting stuff coming up in the New 52. Always illuminating and entertaining.

Saturday, July 20

11 AM – 12 PM – signing at the Archaia booth! You can get my latest OGN Strange Attractors here, inscribed with a special message from yours truly (which will probably just be my name, but hey, that’s something.)

12:30-1:30 PM – Green Lantern – Recharged! (Room 6DE) – panel discussion about the new creative teams and direction for the various GL titles. I’ll be there, I’m sure Rob Venditti will be there, and I would guess we’ll see some of the other GL writers and artists as well.

1:45 – 2:45 – Infinity / Avengers Panel – the Thunderbolts title I’m writing ties into Marvel’s big summer Infinity event, and here’s where you’ll get to hear more about both the event and the individual titles related to it.

4-6 PM – signing at the Oni booth! Your last chance to get a signed con exclusive Letter 44 #1!

Sunday, July 21

I leave around mid-day on Sunday, so I probably won’t be doing any signings or panels, but I’ll be with you all in spirit, as you stagger around the show floor, trying to squeeze that last little magic out of the convention before bidding adieu until next year.

Next con for me past SDCC will be Baltimore in September, and then NYCC, and then that’s pretty much it for the year. While I love the cons, I love writing too.

Advertisements

Share this:

Like this:

Well, I really wasn’t planning to go this year. San Diego Comicon, or SDCC as veteran con-goers call it, is one hell of a show. It’s the biggest, most action-packed comic-related event of the year, with the best parties, incredible networking and immense numbers of fans. It’s also by far the most expensive. Hotels that normally cost $50/night are charging $250 with a straight face. Airfare, food, table fees… all of it is jacked up. However, it’s the big show, and so to a certain extent that’s to be expected.

I originally thought I’d go once every other year – after all, I live in NYC, and it’s not like we don’t have a massive convention of our very own (NYCC in October). Since I went last year, this was supposed to be an off year. But then, around May/June, something mysterious happens – the scent of SDCC starts to waft through the air, and everyone asks everyone else if they’re going. I got an email about a nice table I could have at a great rate, I got asked to appear on a few cool panels… and soon enough I’m throwing caution (and fiscal responsibility) to the wind and booking a ticket.

So, yes, I will be at San Diego Comicon 2012! Here’s the info on where I can be found:

Most of the time I will be tabling at the Image booth, which is 2729. I’ll have plenty of cool stuff available, including plenty of 27, Strongman and some advance looks at Strange Attractors.

I’m also doing some great panels:

Saturday, July 14, 7-8 PM, Room 23ABC – I’ll be on the Writer’s Unite! panel along with a host of award-winning and best-selling writers, including Cullen Bunn, Ray Fawkes and Jim Zub, good friends all. If you’re an aspiring comics writer, this is the one not to miss. We’ll discuss pitching your indie comics, writing tips and process, and a ton of other cool topics. I’ve done this several times before, and it tends to be a really informative, fun time for all.

I have a signing scheduled at the Archaia booth (#2653) on Friday, July 13 from 4:30-5:30 PM, where I’ll be signing some exclusive Strange Attractors teaser posters, which I’ll have in very limited quantity. These guys:

So, that’ll be San Diego. It’ll be over before I know it, and I’ll be half-dead, I’m sure. I’m taking a redeye back on Sunday night, landing at noon, and then heading to band rehearsal at 5. Lovely.

See you at the show!

Advertisements

Share this:

Like this:

I’m knee-deep in the spring convention season. I got back from Emerald City Comicon in Seattle about a week ago, spent Easter weekend in Montauk (my first time, and highly recommended), and I’m headed to Chicago this coming Friday for the big C2E2 con. By the time I get back from Chicago, I’ll have been away from home for 11 of the previous 16 days, in three cities. I’ve even got another con two weeks from C2E2, but that’s a local show (the fantastic MoCCA con here in NYC), so at least I’ll be sleeping in my own bed, and I won’t have to deal with any airports.

Anyway, busy busy. I won’t be tabling in Chicago, but I’ll be around. I’ll be on two panels on Friday, and I’ve got a signing on Saturday. I’m returning to NYC on Saturday evening, so it’ll be a quick trip for me. Here’s the schedule:

Friday, April 13, 5:30-6:30 PM, Room N426b – Comics and Pop Music. Along with a really cool batch of fellow panelists, I’ll be discussing the way music has been addressed through comics, and where the two mediums might intersect in the future. Should be fascinating.

Saturday, April 14, 11 AM – 12 PM, Booth 529 – Archaia. Signing advance teaser posters for Strange Attractors and answering questions about the book. This is probably your best chance to get anything else you might want signed by me, since I’m not doing any other signings in Chicago.

Of course, feel free to say hello if you see me on the floor. If you don’t see me, and you want to catch up, best way to get me is probably to give me a shout on Twitter – the handle is @charlessoule.

Looking forward to it – Chicago’s always a great time. See you there!

Advertisements

Share this:

Like this:

My 2012 convention season will start up this weekend with the phenomenal Emerald City Comicon in Seattle. This will be my third time attending the con since 2009 (I had to skip 2010, otherwise I’d definitely be four for four.) Emerald City is one of the cons on the circuit that’s totally focused on comics (very little in the way of video games, movies, etc., unlike some of the other huge conventions, which have become pop-culture adventures instead of comic conventions). Artist’s Alley is always filled with some of my favorite creators, and the setting can’t be beat. I’m actually going to stick around for a few days after the con to check out Seattle. In years past, I’ve flown in for the con and then left right after, which provides limited opportunities for seeing much of anything beyond the convention center and downtown. This time, hopefully, I’ll get out into the wilderness around the city. I understand that if you drive half an hour out of Seattle in any direction, civilization disappears (except for, presumably, the road you’re on.) For a guy from NYC, that sounds pretty appealing.

I can be found at table C-10, sharing it with the super-talented Kurtis Wiebe, and next to the marvelous Jim Zub. I will have a bunch of stuff available, including all my previous work (Strongman, Strongman 2, 27 First and Second Sets) as well as a convention debut of a beautiful promo for my upcoming Archaia OGN Strange Attractors, and whatever else I can fit on the table. Ask me about The Spark, and I’ll show you some killer art for something new I’m working on that hasn’t been discussed anywhere yet.

I’ll be on at least one panel for sure, the “Writers Unite!” panel at 3 PM on Saturday in room 201. It should be fantastic – the panel includes me, Jim Zub, Kurtis, Joe Keatinge and Ray Fawkes, and we’ll spend the hour talking about how we approach pitching creator-owned projects. We’ve all had success in that world with various publishers (within that group, we’ve got projects with Image (both Central and Shadowline), Oni, Archaia, SLG, UDON, Marvel and probably others I’m not aware of yet.) So, it should be a great chance to get some informed perspectives on getting your projects out there in the world.

I wouldn’t be surprised if I drop in to the Archaia panel from 2-3 on Saturday, also in room 201 (after all, it’s right before the writers’ panel, in the same room, so why not?) Archaia’s putting out Strange Attractors, as I mentioned, and while we haven’t started the full-court promotional press, it might be a good time to start chatting it up a little.

Beyond that, it’ll be about meeting and greeting, trying to get occasional bits of sleep, and reacquainting myself with the insane world of comic conventions. There’s nothing quite like them.

Apparently I like it, though, because my convention schedule for this year is shaping up pretty nicely. I’m finding a balance between local conventions and bigger, cross-country cons. At the moment, here’s my list:

Emerald City (Seattle) – March 30-April 2

C2E2 (Chicago) – April 13-14 (I’ll just be in for a Friday panel, and not tabling, but I’ll be around Saturday for a bit.)

MoCCA (NYC) – April 28-29

Asbury Park Comicon (Asbury Park, NJ) – May 12

Granite State Comicon (Manchester, NH) – June 10

Heroes Con (Charlotte, NC) – June 22-24

That’s “all” I have for the next few months, but SDCC is still a possibility and NYCC’s a certainty. I’m also thinking about Toronto FanExpo in August and Baltimore in September. I have a bunch of new stuff hitting in the fall, and I’ll want to make sure that I have some cons at which to show it off!

Oh, and while this post has been con-focused, man, do I have lots of cool news to share. The final cover and release date for the 27 Second Set trade. Brand-new Strongman material (not Strongman 2 – that’s done – this is something else, a super cool something else). 27’s first tentative steps out into the world of film. Info about Strange Attractors and lots of delicate teases for the other stuff I have in the works… but all of that’s for another post.

See you in Seattle.

Advertisements

Share this:

Like this:

December 2011 was absolutely insane for me as far as travel. I spent most of the first week out of the country for a work thing, then most of the second week in Los Angeles (which I wrote up here) and then most of the fourth week home for the holidays. Now, I love going places. If offered a choice between an amazing new TV and hi-fi setup, or the equivalent value in travel, I’d take the trip pretty much every time. I think new places add richness to life in a way that “stuff” doesn’t. Personal preference, that’s all. But man, that was a lot of being out of town for one month.

I didn’t realize quite how intense December’s schedule would be when I scheduled a signing for the first weekend after New Year’s at the amazing Third Eye Comics down in Annapolis, Maryland. Truth be told, I was a little burned out this past week, and I had to gear up a little to get excited for the event. I had a signing experience when I was in Los Angeles that wasn’t everything I had hoped it would be, and the idea of slogging down to Annapolis for a repeat of that scenario didn’t sound too appealing. Now, when I do one of these events, I’m not a prima donna about it, really. I know that I’m not anything that special in the comics world – there are tons of incredible creators out there, most of whom have bigger followings than I do. So, I don’t need to be treated like a king, but it’s still time away from home, and expense, etc. For me, it’s about everyone acknowledging that we’re all in it together and everyone doing their best to make it work out well.

I set up a signing at Third Eye on the advice of Jim Zubkavich of Skullkickers fame – he told me it was one of the very best he’d done, and he couldn’t have been more correct. The folks at Third Eye went WAY above and beyond. I might not need to be treated like a king, but I’m human – it’s pretty nice when it happens. Allow me to explain…

Third Eye isn’t the biggest shop I’ve ever seen, but it’s extremely well-organized and laid out. The store never feels cramped, even though it contains just about everything you’d ever want as a modern comics buyer. It also has what I would consider to be the secret weapon for a successful direct market – a guy behind the counter who goes the extra mile to make sure his customers are finding exactly what they want, as well as what they don’t yet know they want. That’s Steve Anderson, the owner. He’s extraordinarily enthusiastic and upbeat, and very smart about how he positions himself and his store. He greeted every person who walked in, often by name. He stepped out from behind the register many times to hand-sell books to people based on things he knew they liked. Does it take a little extra energy, and a particular type of person to make an approach like that work? Of course it does, but from the conversations I had with Steve over the course of the day, it pays massive dividends. He passed along the numbers he moves on some of his titles, and it’s phenomenal. There’s no question that, well, giving a shit seems to work. If we had a few hundred more guys like Steve running around in the DM (and I know he’s not alone in his commitment and skill as a comics retailer, but there can never be enough) the industry would be in phenomenal shape. Comics don’t sell themselves – not these days. They’re specialty, almost luxury items, and smart salesmen (like Steve) approach them that way.

I came into the DC area a day earlier for some research on a new project (more on that after the signing writeup), and drove down to Annapolis early Saturday morning. The weather was incredible all weekend (mid to high 60s, which is weird for early January, but I’ll allow it), and when I got to the store around 9 there were already people lined up waiting. Considering the shop didn’t open until 11, that was a very solid sign. Steve had made sweet mix CDs for the first 15 people in line (he tends to do clever stuff like that), but it was still a cool thing to see.

I killed an hour reading the paper, then walked in at 10 to get set up. I met Steve, his wife Trish Rabbitt and their very able co-worker Torma, all of whom helped to keep things running like clockwork for the whole day. I didn’t take any pictures, which was dumb, but the signing area was set up with a sweet display of 27: First Set trades and the Second Set floppies. We added in some Strongman Vol. 1s and some 27 t-shirts I’d brought down with me, and we were good to go. Spent the next little while shopping, since I’d missed getting to my NYC shop that week and Steve was giving me a killer discount. Landed some trades I’d been meaning to get for a while (Witch Doctor, Return of Bruce Wayne) and one I hadn’t heard of – Chase, a collection of DC stories drawn by JH Williams III from the 90s that looks incredible.

Doors opened at 11, and wow. Line stretched through the store, and I was busy signing and talking to people for the next three hours and change. We had a few dips here and there, but by and large traffic was very steady. Steve and his team made sure everyone knew what was happening, who I was, and what 27 and Strongman were all about. It was a great mix of people who were already fans and had brought in their issues or trades for me to sign, plus folks who were hearing about my stuff for the first time. Totally gratifying and fun. I’d take my books down there in a minute, and I know we’ll do something again once Strange Attractors, Letter 44 and my other 2012 books start to hit.

I could say more, but the whole thing just left me with a really optimistic feeling about the industry. Just a great rah rah “go comics” sort of day.

Other items – happy new year! 2012 will be epic, I think. In the week between Christmas and New Year’s, I finally got a greenlight for Letter 44, a project I’ve been working on for nearly a year, and pitched back at NYCC. I can’t quite announce who it’s with yet, but I’m extremely excited about it. I’m deep into research, some of the heaviest I’ve done since I wrote The Land of 10,000 Things back in 2000-2003. I like research, though. It feels like I’ve enrolled in a self-guided adult education class about weird, hyper-specific things. In this particular case, I’m researching:

Executive branch procedure

US government covert action and black-ops

Bleeding-edge plans for manned spaceflight

I know something about all of those subjects already, but as I’m going through the research process, I’m learning how much I don’t know. Still, it’s fun. Once we’re grown up and sort of set in our lives, reasons and opportunities to gather in-depth knowledge about new subjects are rare. Life is busy enough just trying to keep the lights on, without tracking down a copy of Executive Order 12333.

I came down to DC a day before the Third Eye signing in order to get some in-person perspective on US government. That included a visit to NASA Headquarters (just the lobby so far, but still cool), the Capitol, National Mall, and the Air & Space Museum. I only had a single afternoon, so I’m sure I’ll take another trip, but it was definitely worthwhile. There’s no substitute for actually going to a place you’re going to write about. Your observations aren’t going to be the same as anyone else’s. For example, I was impressed with the scope of DC. The streets are quite wide and the buildings are generally low, so the sky seems broad and endless (unlike in NYC, for example). A small thing, but a detail I wouldn’t necessarily have been aware of without the visit. And of course, Air & Space is absolutely incredible, and I’ll go there every chance I get whether I’m writing Letter 44 or not. Apparently they’ve just opened up a secondary location down in Virginia with bigger air/spacecraft they can’t fit into the main museum, and I can’t wait to check that out.

I’ve got six serious, active projects right now (by which I mean projects that have other people involved, with deadlines and publishing plans and money in the mix, no matter how few or how little), and I’m in a phase I recognize from times I’ve been in this situation before – one where I’m always, almost unconsciously, evaluating my activities minute-to-minute to decide whether they’re “productive.” So, I justify writing this blog because I consider it to be productive in that it’s connecting with readers and potential readers – it’s marketing/outreach. I chose to take a train to DC and back because I would get the 3.5 hours each way to work. I let myself do something for entertainment purposes only if I decide that I need to balance out work with something “fun,” in the way that you sleep in order to recharge to be able to get things done the next day. I’ve been turning down social occasions unless I think there’s a secondary purpose to going (which is just awful, I realize.)

In the past, this type of situation has been temporary. I get through the crunch and I can let go of the reins a little bit and let life just be life. It feels a little different this time, but I’m hopeful that I’ll get to downshift again. This is okay for a few months, but I could see the fun factor starting to fade a bit if it goes on too long.

Wow, after the exciting stuff at the beginning, this got a bit depressing, eh? To end on a high note, here are the six projects I’m working on, in greater or lesser detail depending on where they are:

1. Strange Attractors – OGN about a guy who turns NYC into a sort of engine, and what happens when he turns the key. Due Q3/Q4 from Archaia.

2. Letter 44 – limited series about the research items I mentioned above. Coming Q4 from[_________]

3. [Project Jazzhands] – 6-issue series being drawn by [____________]. My first foray into superheroes, sort of. Inspired by old Stephen King books.

4. [Detroit book] – 5-issue limited series about bringing Detroit back from the brink. Probably out Q2/Q3 2012.

5. [Untitled Edie Sedgwick project.] Basically what it sounds like. Due later this year, I think?

Share this:

Like this:

About the Site:

Charles Soule – writer.

Links

LETTER 44! My ongoing sci-fi tale about a President who learns at his inauguration that the previous administration discovered an alien presence in the asteroid belt and covered it up. Now, it’s his problem. Alien meets House of Cards. Get it here!